To the relief of viewers and fans alike, after four years, IPL has returned to home-and-away fixtures again. For the first time since 2019, the league has done away with the sometimes stale city-based hubs and bio-bubbles that were a necessity in the last three editions.
The change in format presents opportunities and challenges for the 10 sides that will face varying conditions in their seven home-and-away fixtures. With half of their group games played at home, building a side
To the relief of viewers and fans alike, after four years, IPL has returned to home-and-away fixtures again. For the first time since 2019, the league has done away with the sometimes stale city-based hubs and bio-bubbles that were a necessity in the last three editions.
The change in format presents opportunities and challenges for the 10 sides that will face varying conditions in their seven home-and-away fixtures. With half of their group games played at home, building a side with the tools to win in these consistent conditions can go a long way towards qualification for the play-offs. This piece looks to establish which sides will encounter the most extreme home conditions and whether they have the tools to exploit that.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS - CHEPAUK
CSK have dominated at home since IPL began, winning 40 of the 55 matches (73%). No other side has a win percentage above 70 at their traditional home, the closest being Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur (68%).
CSK only lose at home to the best, with four of their last five home defeats coming against eventual winners.
Chennai have traditionally taken a bowling-heavy approach, packing the team with quality spinners (Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir, Ravindra Jadeja, etc.). Throughout IPL, the economy rate for spin has been 7.15 at Chepauk, comfortably the lowest for any bowling type at any ground, with particularly spin-friendly years (2013, 15 & 19) often spelling success for CSK – they reached the final in all these three years.
This season, CSK line up with the familiar all-round spinners Jadeja, Mitch Santner and Moeen Ali with the addition of Sri Lankan mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana, a formidable challenge for any visiting team.
PUNJAB KINGS - MOHALI
The ‘flattest’ track in IPL over the years has been in the home ground of Punjab Kings. With a batting average of 28.60 and a run rate of 8.4, it has been the second fastest scoring regular ground in the competition, with the highest batting average across the duration of IPL.
Though PBKS no longer have their all-time leading run-scorer KL Rahul, with the explosive overseas batters Liam Livingstone, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Sam Curran, they will be hoping to produce flat pitches on which these players can capitalise. Captain Shikhar Dhawan is the second leading IPL run-scorer and will look to challenge for the purple cap.
On flat pitches, captains need players who can extract the slightest amount of seam movement to make breakthroughs, and PBKS have that bowler in Kagiso Rabada. The South African spearhead hits the pitch and often finds life in the flattest of pitches. He will be vital in prising out wickets on the truest of surfaces.
DELHI CAPITALS - KOTLA
One team who have not enjoyed the supposed advantage playing at home gives you are Delhi Capitals. They have won just 43% of their home matches at the Ferozshah Kotla ground since IPL began, the lowest of any home side.
This has been characterised by their pace bowlers struggling to take wickets at home, with away batters averaging 27.41 against Delhi pacers through IPL, an unusually high number.
The Capitals’ ace in the pack to set right the previous wrongs at home will be Anrich Nortje. The South African known in DC circles as ‘The Gas Man’ is having his fastest year with 73% of his recorded deliveries clocking above 140 kph.
Led by Nortje, DC will be hoping to banish their pace bowling woes of the past and rip through many a top order in Delhi over the next two months.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE - CHINNASWAMY STADIUM
With one of the smallest playing areas in IPL, it’s no wonder the Chinnaswamy stadium holds the highest boundary percentage of any regular ground. Of the 10 home grounds this season, none sees more fours and sixes than Chinnaswamy’s 18.4%.
It’s no wonder these short boundaries promote a style of play synonymous with previous RCB stars, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle. These boundary hitters thrived on the postage stamp of a ground, playing some of the most memorable knocks in IPL history at the Chinnaswamy.
RCB looked to capitalise on this again with their new recruit Will Jacks, whose powerplay boundary hitting is among the best in the world. His injury is tough to take, but replacement Michael Bracewell will look to find the fence regularly.
Glenn Maxwell, on way to full fitness but who has played just seven IPL games at RCB’s home, is their batter most suited to the conditions. His ability to hit 360° and exploit short boundaries resulting from non-centre wickets will hopefully be a fixture for any fan.
One Subscription.
Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines
to 100 year archives.
Archives
HT App & Website